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| New doctor training body 'needed' | New doctor training body 'needed' |
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| The government should be stripped of its responsibility for training junior doctors in England, a report says. | The government should be stripped of its responsibility for training junior doctors in England, a report says. |
| Professor Sir John Tooke was asked to look at the system after the chaos of last year when 30,000 doctors were competing for 20,000 NHS training jobs. | Professor Sir John Tooke was asked to look at the system after the chaos of last year when 30,000 doctors were competing for 20,000 NHS training jobs. |
| Thousands of medics protested on the streets, complaining about the system and the application process. | Thousands of medics protested on the streets, complaining about the system and the application process. |
| Sir John has called for a new body, NHS Medical Education England to manage postgraduate medical training. | Sir John has called for a new body, NHS Medical Education England to manage postgraduate medical training. |
| The body should also have responsibility for liaising with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to ensure cohesion across the UK. | The body should also have responsibility for liaising with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to ensure cohesion across the UK. |
| We have ended up with an inflexible structure that does not encourage excellence Sir John Tooke, report author | We have ended up with an inflexible structure that does not encourage excellence Sir John Tooke, report author |
| And it should have its budget ring-fenced - in recent years training funds have been raided to plug deficits. | And it should have its budget ring-fenced - in recent years training funds have been raided to plug deficits. |
| Sir John's report also warned measures need to be taken to ensure that junior doctor training did not suffer when the European Working Time Directive - limiting doctors to 48 hours a week - fully comes into force next year. | Sir John's report also warned measures need to be taken to ensure that junior doctor training did not suffer when the European Working Time Directive - limiting doctors to 48 hours a week - fully comes into force next year. |
| The inquiry into Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) was set up by then health secretary Patricia Hewitt last May as she faced calls to quit over the new system. | The inquiry into Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) was set up by then health secretary Patricia Hewitt last May as she faced calls to quit over the new system. |
| MMC was designed to cut the number of years it takes for junior doctors to reach consultant level from about 14 years to 11. | MMC was designed to cut the number of years it takes for junior doctors to reach consultant level from about 14 years to 11. |
| But medics complained that application forms under the online Medical Training Application Service were badly worded and resulted in many of the best candidates not being granted interviews. | But medics complained that application forms under the online Medical Training Application Service were badly worded and resulted in many of the best candidates not being granted interviews. |
| Disparity | Disparity |
| The disparity between the number of training posts and applicants was caused by the streamlining of the system, an increase in graduates from the investment in medical schools since Labour came to power and a large pool of foreign doctors. | The disparity between the number of training posts and applicants was caused by the streamlining of the system, an increase in graduates from the investment in medical schools since Labour came to power and a large pool of foreign doctors. |
| Only about 14,000 of the doctors looking for specialist posts were UK trained and the overwhelming majority of these got jobs. | Only about 14,000 of the doctors looking for specialist posts were UK trained and the overwhelming majority of these got jobs. |
| On top of the training posts, there were also thousands of service posts, but these do not count towards a doctor becoming a consultant. | On top of the training posts, there were also thousands of service posts, but these do not count towards a doctor becoming a consultant. |
| The situation has prompted calls for UK medical graduates to be given a priority. | The situation has prompted calls for UK medical graduates to be given a priority. |
| Sir John said the issue needed to be looked at as it costs the taxpayer £250,000 to put graduates through medical school, but he did not make any direct recommendations. | Sir John said the issue needed to be looked at as it costs the taxpayer £250,000 to put graduates through medical school, but he did not make any direct recommendations. |
| The final report comes after an interim version published in October found the government's reform of the system in 2005 was "rushed and poorly communicated". | The final report comes after an interim version published in October found the government's reform of the system in 2005 was "rushed and poorly communicated". |
| It is a serious blow for the government and essentially a vote of no confidence Dr Chris McCullough, of the Remedy pressure group | It is a serious blow for the government and essentially a vote of no confidence Dr Chris McCullough, of the Remedy pressure group |
| It also said the present system was unlikely to encourage or reward "striving for excellence" or offer trainees flexibility. | It also said the present system was unlikely to encourage or reward "striving for excellence" or offer trainees flexibility. |
| Sir John, who is dean of the Peninsula Medical School in Exeter, said: "Although the original principles of MMC were well conceived, they were lost in translation. | Sir John, who is dean of the Peninsula Medical School in Exeter, said: "Although the original principles of MMC were well conceived, they were lost in translation. |
| "We have ended up with an inflexible structure that does not encourage excellence." | "We have ended up with an inflexible structure that does not encourage excellence." |
| This year deaneries are being left to organise their own recruitment at a local level after the government suspended the centrally-run arrangements. | This year deaneries are being left to organise their own recruitment at a local level after the government suspended the centrally-run arrangements. |
| The Department of Health will now spend the next few months assessing the report, before setting out how it will proceed for 2009. | The Department of Health will now spend the next few months assessing the report, before setting out how it will proceed for 2009. |
| Dr Chris McCullough, of the junior doctor pressure group Remedy, said: "We warmly welcome the report. It is a serious blow for the government and essentially a vote of no confidence." | Dr Chris McCullough, of the junior doctor pressure group Remedy, said: "We warmly welcome the report. It is a serious blow for the government and essentially a vote of no confidence." |
| Professor Dame Carol Black, of the Academy of Royal Colleges added: "The recommendations command the support of the profession and the task that now lies ahead is to ensure they are implemented as a matter of urgency." |